Umbrella



Aug. 10, 1954 w, w s 2,685,885

UMBRELLA Filed Nov. 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l I NV NTOR Aug. 10, 1954 w, w s 2,685,885

. UMBRELLA F'iled Nov. 24, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllllllllllllIlllHllllllllllllHllilllllfillllllllllfllllllllNW '1 VENTOR wm i Aug. 10, 1954 R. w. WEST UMBRELLA F iled Nov. 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 R lg] INVENTQOR Z? Jun/e52 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UMBRELLA Robert *W.West, Miami, Fla assignor to McFari-land Awning Corporation, Miami, Fla.

ApplicationNowember 24, 1950, Serial Nelisuvs 2 Claims.

This invention relates to umbrellas :of the large type.

An object of this 'inventi'onis to provide a large umbrella wihch may be readily collapsed or extended andwhich has the staff thereof fixed. in upright position in the ground.

Another object of this invention is to provide me, giant umbrella structure, an improved means for securing the covering to the ribs.

.25. further object of this invention is to provide a giant umbrella structure including animproved means for rotating the ribs and covering.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide an improved means for securing the ribs and braces to thepcap andslider- .A further object of this invention is .110 Provide an improved means'for maintaining the cover tight.

With the aboveand 'othero'bjects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and .specjijfifiation, and .then vmore particularly pointed out ;in thelappende'd claims.

.In the drawings: v

'Figure 1 is a detailed .Side elevation partly in section of an umbrella constructed according to an embodiment .of thisjinvention. I

Figure'z is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line. 2-'Z of Figure .1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure '2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentarysectional view taken on the line 4!! .of Fignre. 3..

'Eigu1ef5 isafragmentarywertical section ofthe umbrella.

Figures is afragmentarysectional view taken on the line -6.6 .of .Figurej'.

Figure .7 airagmentary sectional view .taken on the line 1-4 .of Figures.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 88 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary-vertical section of a modified form-of this invention.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line Ill-l of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line lI-ll of Figure 10.

Referring to the drawings and, first, to Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, the numeral l designates generally a vertically disposed tubular staff which is fixedly secured in the ground by means of concrete I6 or the like. The staff [5 has mounted on the upper end thereof a cap generally designated as IT. The cap I! includes a lower cylindrical member I8 formed with a flange l9 having a plu- 2 rality of radially disposed slots '20. The cap -l| also includes an upper head-member 21 formed with radial slots '22 in vanannular flange 28.

The head member 21 is secured over the cylindrical member 18 by means of bolts or other fastening members 24f A plurality of longitudinally bowed umbrella ribs .25 .of tubu'lar construction are pivotally mounted at their upper inner ends on pivot pins '26. The upper inner ends of the ribs "25 engage between the slots '22 and the flanges i9 and 23 are formed; with complementary recesses 12! and 28, respectively, within which the pins 26 are adapted to engage. Each pin 2:; is bentobtusely at a point midwaybetween the ends thereof as shown in Figure 6, .and the pins 25 are tightly held against rotation when the bolts 2'4 are tightened to secure the head member -2| onto th cylindrical member 1:8.

The inner end of each rib 25 iS formed with relatively large openings 2?} .so that the ribs 25 may freely rock when the umbrella is extended or collapsed. WA slider enerally designated as .30 slidably'engages the staff ifi'below thecap- H and is formed of complementary flanged cylindrical members it and .32 having radially ,disposed slots stand 34 within which theinner-ends .of bracing members .35 pivotally en a e. The bracing members 3.5 .are mounted on pivot pins 36 identical with ivot pins '26., and .the complementary slider members .35! and 32 are tightly clamped together by means of bolts 3].

. l'norder to provide a means whereby the head member 2,! may be accurately located with respectto the cylindrical member lBandthe flange l9, I have provided a locating pin 38 which is engageable incomplementary openings formed in flanges 19 and .23.. Braces 3 5 are pivotallY securedat their outerendsas indicated at 4.0 to the .ribs 25 at a point between the inner and outer .endsof the .ribsZE. The ribs 25 .areextended or retracted by vertical movement of slider 30, and vertical movement .of the slider 3i] is accomplished by .means of .a lower pair of sheaves .41 which are secured to the slider 30 and an upper pair of sheaves 42 which are secured to the cap I1. Cords 43 are extended through the sheaves M and 42, and the free end of each cord 43 may be tied as indicated at 44 to a bracing member when the umbrella is in its extended operative position.

A flexible or fabric cover generally designated as 45 is secured over the ribs 25 and comprises a circular body 46 having a drop or valance 41 depending from the outer edge thereof. The body 46 is removably secured to the ribs 25 by means of a longitudinally split sleeve 48 which is fixed to the under side of the body 46, and the sleeve 48 engages about rib 25. The sleeve 48 is provided with a plurality of pairs of grommets 49 through which a lacing 50 is threaded. At the outer end of each rib 25 the cover or body 46 is reinforced by means of a triangular reinforcing member stitched by stitching 52 to the under side of the body 46.

The body 46 of the cover is maintained substantially taut under spring tension when the cover is extended by means of a spring pressed shaft 53 which is slidable through the cap IT. The central portion of the body 46 is provided with a reinforcing member 54 which engages over a cushioned head 55 mounted on the upper end of the shaft 53. The shaft 53 extends downwardly and slidably through the head 2| and has a cup-shaped member 56 mounted on the lower end thereof.

A pair of springs 51 are secured at their lower ends to the cup-shaped member 56 and extend upwardly within the upper portions of the staff 55 and are secured to the lower side of the head 2! by the securing members 58.

Referring now to Figures 9, 10, and 11 there is disclosed a modified form of this invention wherein the umbrella in its extended form may be rotated about the staff. The staff 60 which is similar to staff I5 is anchored at its lower end in the ground, and the upper end of staff 60 has rotatably mounted thereon a cap 6| which is similar to cap I'I. Longitudinally bowed tubular ribs 62 are pivotally connected at their upper inner ends to the cap GI, and the ribs 62 are held in extended position by bracing members 63. The bracing members 63 are pivotally secured at their inner ends to a slider 64 similar to a slider 39, and the slider 64 is held in vertically adjusted position by means of one or more connecting straps 65 which are connected between the slider 64 and the cap 6|.

A motor 66 secured to a vertically disposed base plate 67 is supported in laterally disposed position with respect to the staff 60 by means of an upwardly and outwardly inclined supporting bar 63. The supporting bar 68 is provided at its inner lower end with a plate 69, and plate 69 is clamped to the staff 60 by means of a pair of U-shaped clamping bolts ID. A vertically disposed drive shaft II is journalled in bearings I2 carried by the base 67, and the lower end of shaft H has mounted thereon a pulley I3. A belt I4 engages about pulley I3 and also about a smaller diameter pulley I5 which is mounted on the motor shaft I6.

The upper end of the shaft II has secured thereto a pulley I1 and an endless belt I8 engages over the pulley TI. The belt I8 is supported from the ribs of the umbrella by means of hook-shaped supporting clips I9 which are clamped as at 59 to alternate ones of the bracing members 63. The belt supporting clips I9 are arranged such that they will swing inwardly of the pulley I1, and the belt I8 is tightened to such a degree that the belt will be outwardly distorted as shown in Figure 10 where the belt engages over the pulley TI.

In the use and operation of this device the umbrella which is shown in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, is an umbrella of the collapsible type and when in extended position is raised as shown in Figure 1 by pulling on the cords 43. The umbrella shown in Figures 9 to 11 may be collapsed by removing the holding straps and lowering the motor supporting member 68. Normally, however, the umbrella shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11 will be disposed in extended position. The umbrella shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11 is rotated by means of the motor 66. Operating of the motor 66 will cause the belt I8 to travel over the pulley I1 and as the belt I8 is held substantially taut by the clips or holding members I9, the umbrella will be rotated about the stationary staff 60.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable giant umbrella comprising a stationary upright staff, a mounting member rotatably mounted on the staff, a plurality of ribs pivotally carried by the mounting member, means for retaining the ribs in raised positions radiating rotatably from the staff, a motor, means supporting said motor on the staff, a drive transmission means powered by the motor and means drivingly connecting said transmission means with the rib retaining means.

2. A rotatable giant umbrella comprising a stationary upright staff, a first mounting member rotatably mounted on the staff, a plurality of ribs radially extending from and carried by the mounting member, a second mounting member rotatably mounted on the staff and spaced vertically below the first mounting member, braces carried by the second mounting member and extending upwardly therefrom and connected to the ribs, a motor, means supporting the motor in laterally disposed position relative to said staff, a driving pulley connected with said motor, a belt engaging over the pulley and means supporting said belt from the braces whereby operation of the motor will effect rotation of said ribs and braces about the staff.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 239,911 Wright Apr. 5, 1881 892,698 Whinnery July 7, 1908 973,100 Barr Oct. 18, 1910 1,919,610 Wery July 25, 1933 2,087,756 Farkas July 20, 1937 2,224,882 Peck Dec. 17, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 54,578 Switzerland Nov. 21, 1910 382,123 France Nov. 30, 1907 

